Sam's Story
by ThouArtBenvolio
Summary: Private Romeo, SLASH, eventual Sam/Glenn, follows the plot of the movie Sam Singleton, a high school senior at a military academy, writes journal entries every week for his English class. While reading Romeo and Juliet, Sam and his peers take on the personas of their characters outside of the classroom while spending the weekend on their nearly deserted campus.
1. Journal 1

Sam Singleton  
English 4  
09/19/11

Journal #1 – _"Free write for thirty minutes."_

Well here's my first homework assignment of the year for English. No offense, but this entire class is a huge joke. I actually somewhat enjoy English, and look what I get stuck with…freaking journal entries. How cliché. I don't even know where to begin with this…

I moved my stuff in here with my dad ten days ago, and classes started exactly one week ago. The weekend that followed directly after Labor Day, after everyone was unpacked and settled in, was filled completely with physical fitness. I guess the guys in charge assume that we all sat on our asses during summer break and that we need to get whipped back into shape. And damn, they were right. My summer pretty much consisted of me sitting in my friend's basement getting high with my stoner, non-military friends that I went to middle school with. A week before returning here, my dad suddenly remembered to start forcing me to hit the gym and work out. I ran instead, though – I'd much rather run laps than go to the gym. My dad didn't really give a shit as long as I returned home with sweat on my shirt. He'd be damned if I spent my _entire_ summer smoking weed…even though that's exactly what I did excluding that final week of working out.

That's why I'm here, actually. I got caught with marijuana in my system and a few dubs in my possession one night by town officials. I was in a park with my friends, who were also baked, when the police found and approached us. Long story short, my dad was pissed at being woken up at three in the morning by cops ringing the doorbell. I was stoned off my ass. It was only my second time getting high, ever. I remember laughing nonstop while my dad dragged me inside and thanked the officers for letting me off with a warning. The worst part was that those pricks took away the rest of the weed. That's what Warner gets for shoving his bad into my hands and fleeing. But yeah, my dad then decided that I was unfit to attend Burket's public high school with my friends, and instead enrolled me here. Of course, I didn't give in without a fight, kicking and screaming the whole way here. But now looking back, I have no regrets.

I'm a senior now, and it feels great to be on top. It took a hell of a lot to adjust to this kind of school system. Some parts were good, though. Everyone here pays a shit ton of money, and one of the perks of that is that each student gets his own laptop on the first day of freshmen year for the completion of classwork and homework. They are also for personal use, but some sites are blocked. There are only two printers in the whole school, though – one in the library and one in the study hall. Granted, the population here isn't huge, so sharing printers is hardly something to complain about.

My cousin Gus goes here as well. He's also a senior. Actually, it was his dad's idea to send me here instead of just a regular Catholic school after the weed incident. My dad walked into my room a few days later informing me that Uncle Kevin suggested William McKinley Military Academy in Wisconsin, the same school that he was sending Cousin Augustus to. The drive is a little over seven hours when you factor in traffic and rest stops. But hey, at least I'm not the one stuck behind the wheel. And that's just one way. I have my license, but I barely ever use it. Even during summer I seldom get car time. It would be pointless to buy a car now since I'm going away to college soon. I really wanna get into West Point, but even if I don't I just plan on enrolling right into the military. This school sure did its job with brainwashing me, because after three years here I know that I want to fight overseas sometime after graduation. I may have not wanted to come here at first, but like I said, now as I senior I'm very content.

I'm just rambling at this point. Anyway, Gus. He's a great guy. He's been my roommate since we were freshmen and we've gotten closer since then. We mostly hang out with his best friend Adam, and my best friend Josh. I met Josh in freshmen English. Our guidance counselor based a lot of our first year classes on why were at the school. I was straight up with her, telling her about the weed incident. She was kind of judgmental though, putting me in almost all lower-level classes because of my backstory. Josh refused to tell me his reason for being at McKinley, but apparently his story was bad enough to land him a spot in "dumb English" with me. It was ironic…for two freshmen in the so-called stupid class, Josh and I both had a knack for English – I like writing and he likes literature. All of the people in charge here are just as judgmental as the guidance counselor, assuming that just because I smoked pot, I was a "bad kid", a delinquent who needed straightening out.

Speaking of needing to be straightened out, I also have a secret. Well, it's actually not a secret anymore. Not since last week. I'm gay.

Yeah, I bet you didn't see that one coming. Gus was the only person I told, and that discussion happened sophomore year. I had my eye on this guy Glenn, who I'd had occasional classes with here and there a few times. The good part was that I knew he was gay. Everyone did. He came out right away during freshmen orientation. There were a lot of cons to this, though. For one, I was completely in the closet. Not to mention, the military is not known to be pro-gay at all. And the biggest issue of all? My group of friends completely despises his group of friends. Gus apparently has some serious dirt on Glenn's cousin, Carlos, and Josh has pretty much made it his life mission to pick on Glenn. Josh isn't really homophobic, but he definitely does use Glenn's sexuality as ammo against him. I feel like I'm sometimes in the dark in my group of friends. It's just that everyone else hates Glenn's group, and I'm the only one in my own group wondering why.

Well that's a wrap for now. This thing is due in like two hours and I have to get ready for breakfast and morning inspection. This is the first day with everyone back on campus since everything that went down last week. It's gonna be weird, but anyway, I stayed up all night procrastinating on writing this and I have to shower.


	2. Journal 2

Sam Singleton  
English 4  
09/26/11

Journal #2 – "_How were the land-navigation exercises? What did you learn? What obstacles did you face? What sort of activities did you encounter? How did you spend your free time away from campus?"_

Here I am again, writing in this dumb journal for the second time. Oh, and as it turns out, you actually _are_ reading these, so sorry for everything I wrote last week that may have seemed offensive. I think I'm going to leave out any more details involving how I spent my summer recess, or else you might report me to be drug tested. Anyway, it seems that I'm the only one in this class that didn't qualify for the land-navigation exercises last week, so…I guess I'll just write about how I spent my time while everyone else was away.

There's really nothing much to tell, though. Everyone else in the school got to go on some giant field trip, leaving seven of us alone only under the supervision of T.A. Ken Lee, who freaking just graduated high school last year. He got to lead inspection and physical fitness, and appointed Glenn's cousin Carlos as his right-hand man. That is…until all of the problems started.

Alright, fine, you've got me started. The seven of us attended breakfast and inspection normally, and we heard from Ken Lee how the next four days were gonna go. He then led us into any empty classroom, and ironically enough, it was the English room where Josh and I first met freshmen year. I kept that thought to myself, but I secretly hoped Josh was reminiscing too. Ken had Carlos help distribute copies of Romeo and Juliet out to each of us. As a group of seniors who were prepared to bullshit our ways through the school year, we all couldn't help but laugh. Were they seriously expecting us to reread the play we were forced to learn in freshmen English over again? At first I wondered if we were going to be quizzed on it when the rest of the school returned, but it was obviously just busy work.

Ken let us divvy up the roles however we pleased. He sat back and watched us instantly split up into two groups, which would soon turn into the Montagues and Capulets. Josh immediately claimed the part of Mercutio. He played the same character three years ago in class and in his defense, he _was_ the only one in the room who gave a shit about the play. Carlos and Omar, another Capulet, jokingly forced Glenn into playing Juliet because of his sexuality. Josh jumped right on board with that suggestion, completely refusing to do the assignment if Glenn didn't play Juliet. The two houses started feuding once Josh muttered "faggot" under his breath. Ken broke it up and assigned the rest of the roles himself. Gus and I got the roles on Romeo and Benvolio, me being the title character, solely because of the fact that we're cousins. The same deal happened with Carlos and Glenn, Carlos being given Tybalt. That left Omar as the nurse, and Adam as Friar Lawrence and a few other small roles. Ken read the Chorus and stage directions, and it was decided that if your character died you would take up a new, small role for the remainder of the play. And with that, we sealed our fates for the next few days…

* * *

xxx

That night, I sat on Josh's bed with Gus, discussing our plans for the following night. Josh was in the bathroom, but he'd be back shortly from his shower.

"So, _Romeo_, what do you think?" he asked.

"I mean, a party sounds fun," I began, "but Glenn'll be there…"

Gus, who was very much aware of my crush, replied, "Well maybe this is your chance to make a move!"

I shrugged. A party did seem fun, and if Glenn was there it would be easy to just get him alone. "True, but there's only seven of us, Gus. Everyone will be around. And what would Josh and the others think?"

"What would Josh think about what?" Josh himself asked, walking into his room and shutting the door behind him.

I panicked, not knowing what to say at Josh's sudden appearance. I'm a horrible liar.

"There's, uh, a…party tomorrow night," Gus chimed in, saving my ass.

"What the hell are you talking about – a party? There's only seven people here."

"It was Adam's idea!" Gus held up his arms in defense. "And if all of us go, it'll actually be fun."

I decided to keep quiet during this exchange, biting a fingernail and observing my friends.

"Right, except that we hate half of them…"

"True, but there are some advantages to this," Gus started, making a suggestive face at me while Josh's back was to us, changing out of his towel.

"Will there be booze?"

Sure, we're a "dry campus", mainly because we're all under the legal drinking age, but that wouldn't stop Adam.

"Even better."

"What's better than booze?" Josh asked turning back around to face us, and I couldn't help but snicker at his completely puzzled expression.

"Booze…and poker!"

Josh literally cheered. "Yes! We're gonna beat those assholes at their own game!" I rolled my eyes. I suck at gambling. "That's it," my friend continued, "we're going full-out Romeo and Juliet for this. Montagues versus Capulets!"

"You're seriously comparing this to our assignment?" I finally asked.

Josh looked at me like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Of course, _Romeo_," he replied, sending a wink in my direction.

I groaned, really disliking the fact that I had been referred to as Romeo twice in the past five minutes.

"Don't worry about not being the best poker player – we'll help you," Gus said, being completely genuine.

Josh came up to me and patted me reassuringly on the shoulder. "Definitely. Romeo, we must have you to dance."

No way. He quoted the play.

"You'll be fine, Sam," Gus added again.

I nodded at the guys before me. Poker was going to suck, but I had more important things to worry about…like somehow coming out to Josh before the party, where I'd hopefully get Glenn to go out with me.

"Alright, I'm kicking y'all out. I'm fuckin' tired," my cranky friend yawned out.

We said our goodbye's and headed down the hall to our room. I had a long day ahead of me, and definitely needed the sleep.

xxx

* * *

And that's how it all began. Once again, I waited 'till last minute to write this entry, so I gotta go wake up Gus so he doesn't oversleep and get ready for my day.


End file.
